April 27, 2013 – Tampa, FL – It was the first of the Donnie Tanner Memorial Races for the Late Models as they would battle for a 50 Lap Feature event paying $1,500 to the winner. Also racing were the Limited Late Models, V8 Warriors, Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers and Fan Participation.
Steve Ashmore won the Fan Participation race besting Fred Long in the 2 lap final as contact was made on the first lap which sent Ashmore spinning in turn two. Long was dq’d for rough driving.
The first of the night went to the Limited Late Models. Winning their heats were Jesse Brown and Dale Pope. For the feature event it was Waylon Haynes and J.R. Prather, Jr. Prather, Jr. took the lead on lap one and led the first four laps until the first caution came out when Shane Koperda spun in turn two. On the restart it was Dale Pope charging from the third position to take over the top spot on lap five. Next caution came on lap eight as two cars spun in turn one nearly collecting the leader. When the checkered waved it was Dale Pope in his number 88 in honor of Donnie Tanner. “It has been eight long years since I have been in Victory Lane and what a way to win it on a Donnie Tanner Late Model night” Pope stated in Victory Lane. J.R. Prather, Jr., Forrest Gough, Jesse Brown and Roger Crouse rounded out the top five.
Next up were the V8 Warriors. Winning their heats were Jeff Weaver and Marco Reyes. Jason Manning and Brian Danforth made up the front row for the feature event. Manning took the lead on lap one until the second caution came out with Manning slowing and Reyes would take over the lead. Danforth after running second for several laps took over the lead on lap eight until the caution came out on lap ten. When the green waved once again it was Danforth holding to the lead until lap eleven as Reyes took the lead back. But when the checkered waved it was Danforth battling back to win the feature event. Marco Reyes, Raymond Folwell, Jeff Firestein and Tim Stoffel rounded out the top five.
Late Models were next as 24 cars would run for 50 laps with the winner receiving $1,500 and also paying tribute to the late Donnie Tanner. Tanner was well respected and considered a great racer in the many years he raced at East Bay Raceway Park and throughout the state of Florida. Tanner held many feature wins and was Champion in several divisions at East Bay Raceway Park. His first Championship would come in the Super Six Division in 1979. It wasn’t until 1981 when he picked up his first Late Model Championship here at East Bay Raceway Park. Winning their heats were Mavrick Varnadore, Keith Nosbisch and Josh Peacock. For the feature it was the Defending Champion for the Late Models Roger Crouse and Travis Varnadore making up the front row. When the green dropped it was Crouse leading the first lap until the first caution came out on lap two as Dalton Myers spun in turn four. On the restart it was Crouse leading until a hard charging Keith Nosbisch coming from the seventh position took over the top spot on lap three. Josh Peacock had driven up to second position trying to chase down Nosbisch as they begun to battle through lapped traffic. On lap fourteen it was Wallace Peacock collecting the wall in turn one which would end his night. Caution would come out several more times, but it was on lap twenty six when Devin Dixon had drove his way up to second with Jack Nosbisch, Jr. in third. On lap twenty seven, Dave Schmauss went diving to the bottom in turn one battling for a top five position coming in contact with another car which sent him spinning bringing out the caution. On lap thirty it was Al Larson spinning in turn four nearly collecting the leader as both Nosbisch brothers and Dixon were able to avoid contact. Keith Nosbisch would continue to lead when caution came out on lap thirty five as David Pollen, Jr. lost the left rear axle and wheel ending his night. On lap thirty five it was a single file restart with Keith leading over his brother Jackie with Dixon in third. When the checkered waved on lap 50 it was Keith Nosbisch making it six for six races that he has won going back to the five races he won in 2012. “Tanner was a good friend and a great racer” Nosbisch stated in Victory Lane. Nosbisch was all smiles as he thanked his crew and his sponsors with his wife at his side sporting her 02 ring that she put on for good luck. Finishing in the top five was Jackie Nosbisch, Jr. second, Devin Dixon third, Steve Miller fourth and Dave Schmauss battling back to pick up the fifth position.
The last feature of the night was the Motorstats.com 4 Cylinder Bombers. Winning their heats were Robert Kissam, John Moore and Jim Baker. For the feature it was Bill Bill Smith and Baker making up the front row. Baker would lead the first five laps until John Moore took over the top spot and went on to win his fourth feature of the year. Patrick Tabb, Jim Baker, Brett Calonge and George Handy rounded out the top five.
ASA racing continues next weekend with the Limited Late Models, Gagel’s Open Wheel Modifieds, Street Stocks, V8 Warriors and the Florida Old Time Modifieds all return for action. For further information, log on to www.eastbayracewaypark.com for call 813-677-7223 for more information